Savings in the Wash

The loads are piling up with all those beach towels and extra clothes from spending time outside this summer. In the spirit of keeping an eye on our energy use, and with a test subject on our team who just purchased a brand new washing machine at the beginning of the summer, we decided it was time to do a test on our water use from each of our washers. We keep hearing great things about new technology and Energy Star appliances, so we decided to really put it to the test! We compared three different washing machines, from different years, on the Large Load setting and watched those wash tubs fill up. This is what we found:

       
• Brand new, Energy Star front-loading washing machine = 13 Gallons
       
• 30+ Year old top-loading washing machine (so worn we couldn't even tell what brand it was!) = 28 Gallons
       
• 5 Year old top-loading washing machine = 45 Gallons
   

We couldn't believe it, 45 Gallons of water going down the drain after the full cycle on a washing machine that's only 5 years old?! Time to reconsider on laundry day! Now, we do understand this was not exactly a scientific experiment and there are some inconsistencies in our testing method. It is likely the drum size of the 3 washers are different and the time required to wash was different, but overall we think you will find the results staggering.

After we pulled ourselves together from the shock, we decided to do some research to hunt down the best suggestions for savings in the wash. We found that Energy Star appliances are recommended because of their estimated energy savings of 30% over the standard industry options, but front-loading washing machines in general are estimated to use half the amount of water than a standard top-loader, less detergent to clean your clothes, and typically spin your clothes more thoroughly on the rinse cycle so they take less time to dry. Our team member with the new front-loader confirmed all of this during her test.

While some people have the mentality to 'use it until it breaks,' this just may help to change some minds to make the switch a bit quicker so you can start saving money today. Many states and local utilities are offering appliance rebates to help reduce costs of these new purchases.

If it's just not the time for a new washing machine in your house, consider these tips for minimizing your impact:

       
• Only run full loads in the washer
       
• Sort your colors and choose the appropriate setting for how soiled your clothes are
       
• Try to use the Cold water setting as often as possible, eliminating the energy needed to heat the water
       
• Even if you don't have an Energy Star logo on your washer, look to see if there is an 'efficiency' setting which allows the washer to sense when the load is complete and end the cycle

If you're a Laundromat user, don't fret, you can make environmentally friendly choices too. Typically, Laundromats will offer both top-loaders and front-loaders... which will you pick? Don't forget to take a look at the list above because those tips apply to you too!

RESPONSE:

A big Thank You to everyone that responded to this article after our newsletter published in July!

When it comes to front loading washing machines you, the Choose Renewables community, have shared with us that the machines don’t always get your clothes as clean, can make your clothes stiff because the spin cycle is so robust, and more. These differences can likely be found across the spectrum of all high efficiency washing machines, new and old, top-loading and front-loading alike. 

We love the feedback! Keep sharing those things with your manufacturers so we can continue to see improvements in Energy Star and energy efficiency/efficient appliances.

Also, remember to try and use the manufacturer recommended practices with your new appliances. It is always best to sort your clothes and use the appropriate setting for the type of clothes you are washing and the level to which they are soiled. Also, there are more and more options on the market for High Efficiency laundry soaps, which work well with the newer machines that may cycle a little faster, with less water. Sometimes, new energy efficiency items do require a bit of change from our old routines.

We’d like to reiterate that many of our articles published in the Choose Renewables newsletters are based on our teams’ personal and a few second-hand experiences regarding energy savings and efficiency items. We do our best to intermix real data and facts about our article topics with those personal experiences.

Please keep on sharing your experiences with us! We love to connect with our Choose Renewables community.